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The Montana Arts Council Strategic Investment Grants provide up to $1,000 in matching funds to professional artists, nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts organizations and Preschool–Grade 12 teachers in Montana for:

Grants for ongoing or one-time arts activities by arts organizations and/or artists that are designed to reach a new or expanded audience.

Challenges and Emergencies

Application Deadlines and Available Funds

Please contact Kristin Han Burgoyne at (406) 444-6449 or kburgoyne@mt.gov before applying to determine if funds are available.

The deadline to submit applications is the fifteenth (15th) of the month. If the application deadline is a weekend or holiday, applications may be submitted on the first business day following the deadline.

It is recommended you apply at least two months prior to your activity. Activities will not be funded retroactively.

Grants of up to $1,000 are available and must be matched 1:1 with other funds or support (cash and/or in-kind).

Grant monies will be distributed until the funding for the fiscal year (July 1-June 30) is depleted.

Applicants may submit multiple applications but may not be funded for more than a combined total of $1,000 per fiscal year (July 1-June 30). Due to the limited budget amount and the number of excellent applications, the committee may not fund applicants who have received a SIG grant in the prior two years.

Generally applications are reviewed by teleconference at 10:00 a.m. on the second Wednesday of each month. All Montana Arts Council grant review meetings are open to the public. Applicants will be identified by name and all information submitted is public information. Applications are reviewed by a subcommittee of MAC council members from across Montana. The public may listen to these teleconference meetings at the Montana Arts Council office (830 N Warren, Helena, MT). Please call the office at (406) 444-6430 to confirm meeting time and inform us that you plan to attend. The minutes from the review teleconference are available upon request and applicants are encouraged to contact MAC staff after the review to receive these minutes. Committee discussions provide insights about effective grant writing and how your application is perceived and understood.

Who is Eligible to Apply

Applicants must be 18 years of age, a U.S. citizen and a resident of Montana. (Residency requires having lived in Montana for at least one full year prior to the activity start date.)

Applicants must be one of the following

Artist: Visual, literary, performing, folk, traditional or other type of artist seriously pursuing his/her art career, whether s/he is an emerging, mid-career or established artist, or a group of collaborating artists.

Preschool-Grade 12 Teacher: Currently employed as a Pre K – 12 Teacher who wants to develop skills in an art form or in teaching an art form.

Arts Organization: An Arts Organization that is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization incorporated in the state of Montana with a mission to produce and/or promote the arts; be based in Montana and operating for at least one year; show solid and extensive outreach to a larger community.

Ineligible applicants include

High school students and degree-seeking college students (graduate or undergraduate) and non-degree seeking students receiving college credit for the proposed activity

Currently enrolled participants in the market-ready workshops of the Montana Artrepreneur Program (MAP)

Recipients of Public Value Partnership funding of $2,000 or more in the same fiscal year

History-based, civic or other non-arts organizations (Artist/Arts Organizations may partner with such an organization provided the proposed activity is primarily the arts. Only one application may be submitted for the activity.)

Higher education institutions

Montana Arts Council staff or members of its current governing body, or anyone connected to them by one degree of relationship --by blood, marriage or shared household. (Eligibility resumes one year after leaving the Council or staff.)

The Montana Arts Council is the agency of state government charged with promoting the arts to make a positive difference in the individual and collective lives of the citizens of the state. It accomplishes this mission by helping to develop the creative potential of all Montanans, advance education, create economic vibrancy and revitalize communities through the arts. The Montana Arts Council is funded by state and federal tax dollars. Strategic Investment Grants provide public dollars to support activities taking place within the state and the nation that benefit the citizens of the state of Montana.